Queens man gets life sentence in fatal shooting of NYPD officer

A man, convicted of killing a city police officer in Queens in 2015, was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Demetrius Blackwell was sentenced for the murder of Detective Brian Moore.

"To make that simple for your compromised brain, you're going to die in prison," Queens County Supreme Court Justice Gregory Lasak said when sentencing Blackwell.

Blackwell shot Moore in May of 2015 in Queens Village, when Moore and his partner pulled up to Blackwell in an unmarked police car in Queens. Moore, 25, died two days later.

Blackwell received the maximum sentence, after an emotional plea from Detective Moore's mother.

Blackwell appeared smug for much of the proceeding, with his head tilted. He did not speak when the sentence was issued.

"Advise the defendant of his right to appeal and get his smirking face out of this courtroom," Lasak said.

The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (PBA), a major police union, and Detective Moore's father, said Blackwell deserves a stiffer punishment.

"There's only one regret we have," said Pat Lynch, the president of the union. "This judge sentenced the maximum, rightfully so. But I regret that we did not have a viable death sentence so we wouldn't have to think about him again."

"I know this piece of garbage is going to go away for the rest of his life without parole," said Brian's father Raymond Moore. "But I feel that if New York State had the death penalty, I'd love to see this animal put down once."

Blackwell was also given 40 years to life for the attempted murder of Moore's partner, Erik Jansen, and another 15 years for a weapons charge, all of which are to be served consecutively.

Moore was shot twice in the head and face after confronting Blackwell, whom he thought was acting suspiciously, adjusting his waistband.

The defense had argued that Blackwell suffered from epilepsy, causing him to lose control of his actions. It was a theory that Blackwell's attorney hoped the judge would consider at his sentencing.

Lasak did not buy the argument, telling Blackwell he knew exactly what he was doing when he pulled the trigger.